Churchill Downs reported Monday that net revenues increased 17.6 percent to $427-million in 2001 and that net earnings for the year were up 15.2 percent to total $22-million. Both were record levels for the Louisville, Ky. racetrack operating company.

Joying, an 11-year-old daughter of Storm Cat, sold for $190,000 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's winter mixed sale in Lexington on Monday with approximately one-third of the auction completed. Consigned by David and Ginger Mullins of Doninga, the mare was purchased by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, agent.

A bay colt by Tale of the Cat sold for $100,000 early during the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale on Monday in Lexington. Only the third horse to step into the ring, the colt was purchased by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey from Gainesway, agent.

That's what Saratoga Blues' opponents have been doing in the colt's three career starts. The son of Twining captured Saturday's Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct for his third consecutive victory. At Santa Anita, USS Tinosa drew off to an impressive score in Friday's Sham Stakes, while stablemate Cappuchino had no trouble winning the Golden State Mile back home at Golden Gate.

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's will offer slightly fewer horses at its March sale of 2-year-olds in training this year. The catalogue will have 407 head, down by nearly 3% from last year's total of 419. The auction is scheduled for March 19 and 20 in Ocala, Fla.

Bo Derek, Alex Trebek, Jerry O'Connell, and David Cassidy are among the celebrities scheduled to appear on TVG's second annual Viewer's Choice Awards that will air tonight (Feb. 11) at 9:00 (EST/6:00 PST).

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is threatening to boycott the prestigious Sydney Easter sale due to a dispute over the X-raying of horses before and after Australia's premier yearling auction, according to a story in the Racing Post. The HKJC has demanded the right to X-ray yearlings and return any purchases which are found to have major faults.

A filly by Encosta de Lago brought the top price of $140,000 (approximately $71,456 in U.S. funds) during the first session of the San Miguel premier yearling sale in Australia Sunday. William Inglis and Son, which conducts the auction, purchased her for a client of trainer Bart Cummings' stable. Produced from the winning Bellotto mare Lottey, the filly is a full-sister to Gold Lottey, who had won the VRC Vanity Stakes (Aus-III) on Saturday.

Sheikh Mohammed has made no secret of his desire to win the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). His Godolphin Racing has nominated 17 horses to the Visa Triple Crown by the early deadline, nearly twice as many as any other owner.